Mother!: a preview with Edible Cinema

With new incarnations of the now retro activity of straight up movie watching in the cinema seemingly reaching saturation point, yet another is upon us – not outdoor cinema, floating cinema, immersive cinema but…edible cinema.

Dubbed a chance to experience film not only through sight and sound but also through “aroma, texture and taste”, attendees of one of these exclusive experiences are supplied with a tray of numbered pots containing mystery bite-sized food tasters designed to be consumed during specific moments of the film.

The concept is certainly unique, and while it may seem to be somehow grasping at innovation-for-innovation’s-sake straws, the carefully concocted and painstakingly thought through tasters really do awaken all the senses, creating whole new layers of excitement and anticipation and enhancing key moments of a movie.

Yesterday’s instalment, however, was perhaps pushing that limit by enhancing what is already an onslaught for the senses – a preview of the critically divisive Mother!, a psychological thriller from the director of Black Swan, The Wrestler and cult classic Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky.

Dark and disturbing, the film itself is a visually bold and gory exploration of anxiety and the conscious versus subconscious. Couple this with some equally dark and experimental uses of flavour and texture via perfectly timed tasters – “Amorous Intruders” and “Mother’s Ruin” to name but a few without giving too much away – and the result may be too much for some to handle. But those with an appetite for adventure, away from the comfort of a lush cinema screening room, should get stuck in.

If this provocative movie weren’t already enough to challenge one’s sensibilities, this latest experience from Edible Cinema will leave you a shell of your former self.